


where the lines overlap

by destiny919, MagicalSpaceDragon



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Other characters and tags will be added as they appear, Telepathy, s4 spoilers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-13
Updated: 2017-10-24
Packaged: 2018-11-13 19:58:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,647
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11192346
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/destiny919/pseuds/destiny919, https://archiveofourown.org/users/MagicalSpaceDragon/pseuds/MagicalSpaceDragon
Summary: The Red Lion is temperamental, and the most difficult to master. A series of ficlets about Keith and his giant robot lion mom.





	1. gimme attention

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Space was responsible for the concept, but Destiny wrote the whole chapter singlehandedly, the bastard. How dare you.

Keith didn't know why he thought going to the hangar would fix his insomnia, but something drew him there, like an instinct. He stood in front of the Red Lion, holding a pillow and blanket and feeling like an idiot. 

"Hey," he told her. "I, uh... I couldn't sleep. Guess I thought I'd come visit you."

What was he going to do, sleep on the floor? Keith was fuming at himself just slightly and feeling glad that Lance wasn't- that nobody was here to see him. 

"Um," Keith said. "Do you sleep? Are you asleep right now?"

_ No. _

Keith startled and staggered back a step. He'd never communicated so directly with his lion before, even in the midst of battle. 

_ I am awake, paladin.  _ That wasn't quite what she called him, but Keith was already wondering if he was asleep after all and dreaming. The way she actually addressed him would prove it. 

_ No, I  _ did _ call you my stupid-looking child. _

"What's stupid-looking?" Keith said indignantly. 

_ You _ . 

"Thanks," Keith grumbled. "Maybe Lance should have been your paladin, then."

_ No, only you. Blue's paladin is perfectly suited to her. Almost as perfectly suited as you are to me, _ she added as an afterthought, if giant magic robot lions could have afterthoughts. 

"Um. I like you, too?"

_ I know. I am your lion and you are my paladin. You would like to sleep? _

"Yeah, I...I guess that's why I came in here."

_ Good.  _

Abruptly, Red's eye flashed, and she lowered her head to rest on her forepaws. Her jaws opened, and if a huge metal maw could look inviting, hers did. 

_ I believe the cockpit would be more comfortable than the floor, my stupid-looking child _ . 

Keith couldn't believe that nickname was already growing on him. But he hugged his pillow and blanket a little closer and walked inside Red's mouth to the cockpit. Apparently the pilot's chair could lean back. Keith set up his pillow and covered himself with the blanket, and curled up as best he could. Which turned out to be pretty damn well, since he fell asleep almost immediately. 

He woke up the following morning feeling better-rested than he had in...possibly ever. There may have been some unusual dreams throughout the night, but they were far better than the nightmares he occasionally struggled with, or the insomnia that plagued him otherwise. "Um, good morning?"

_ Good morning. You slept well.  _

"Yeah, I did." Keith snuggled back into the seat for a moment. "Thanks, girl."

Red  _ purred _ , both in his mind and out of it. 

Distantly, outside in the hangar, Keith heard a "Whoa! What was that?"

_ Lance _ . "Ugh. I'm going back to sleep."

Red seemed to chuckle in his mind.  _ Blue assures me her paladin bears you no true ill-will _ . 

"I'll believe that when I see it."

_ As I suspected. You are  _ my _ paladin, after all.  _

Yes. Yes he was. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyone here read The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents? Space has.


	2. too much distance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, season 3 angst. I don't know about you guys, but we're sure having trouble figuring out how to feel about lionswap.  
> (First draft by Space, turned alchemy-like into good writing by the incomparable Destiny.)

_ "If I don't make it out of here, I want you to lead Voltron." _

She wanted to be  _ angry. _ Anger was flames. Anger was the heat of battle, all motion and no thought. Anger was claws rending stone and metal, it was bellowing roars that promised the deaths of those who would  _ dare _ hurt her chosen paladin, her stupid  _ stupid _ boy, lying prone and helpless and  _ bleeding _ and  _ crying out for her to protect his planet- _

The Black Lion lay in her hangar now, motionless and silent.

Having something to fight was so much easier than this.

Black's paladin was gone, and she would say nothing of him, respond to no pleading, no raging, show no spark of life. Not for her sisters or the other paladins. It was all too familiar.

(Black had sent him away to protect him, without an explanation or a chance to object, and left herself here to rot in his absence. Red thought of a bridge, and bombs, and horrible,  _ horrible _ loss, and could not bring herself to feel any sympathy for Black's reckless actions.)

Because she was already feeling too much for her own boy, whom she knew was soon to be lost to her, even while he was losing himself right now. 

His search was pointless, no matter how many times he combed the wreckage, roaming further and further away from the recent battlefield each time. Black had sent her paladin far away, through the starlit ether her own consciousness was resting in without him. Wherever the Black Paladin was, it was far from the wreckage, beyond the reach of Red's boy. To continue the search here, as days became weeks became months, was a fool's errand, reckless even for her brave, stupid child. He was only hurting himself, trying to make something impossible true through sheer persistence. Truly, he was hers. 

For now.

Red did nothing to discourage him. She had spent ten thousand years wishing for the chance to do the same, and could likely spend another full of bitter longings, after the Black Lion took her boy away from her. 

Their paladins were seeking out Black now, trying to wake her. Red tried to find rest as they talked, but it was fruitless when she knew exactly what was coming. She was going to lose him,  _ she was going to lose him, just like Black had lost her Paladin, both of them - and Red's new loss was her fault too, it was all her fault, why should Red let her get away with it and give her a new paladin at the expense of her own-  _

Blue prodded her gently, not words like they used when their paladins were rubbing off on them too much, but an image of her boy surrounded by a vast sky full of stars, with promises and dying requests at his back. Red's rage was barely soothed, drowned briefly under the wash of cool water that was Blue's pleading. Blue was going to lose her own paladin, too. The Blue Paladin would find a new seat inside Red's cockpit, and it would not be quite comfortable for either of them, but they would fly. 

Red's rage and bitterness swelled up again, roaring against the injustice of any replacements, when Black's own paladin still lived somewhere, lungs still breathing, heart still beating, will still unbreakable. She knew she was missing the point, but any small thing to latch onto-

War. Distance. Blaytz's teary attempt at a smile. Time.

There was no arguing with that.

But Blaytz's loss was now healed by Blue's new paladin, quick-witted and adaptable, sensible, standing at her stupid boy's right hand. The Blue Lion's love for him glowed as brightly as Red's for her own, untempered by fear and resistance. It was Blue's nature to trust, to believe in her sisters and their paladins, and to believe that one day her paladin would be returned to her. He would merely be adjacent in the meantime. The Right Hand of Voltron, a place of honor she found worthy. 

_ You are sure you would trust him to me? _

_ There is no one whom I would trust more, _ Blue replied easily.

_ Then who will be yours? _

The potential of the princess, standing tall, eyes bright and arms outstretched in welcome, bearing within herself love and fury like the oceans of the planet Blue had come to consider a home in her exile-

Red grumbled, an older pain and anger coming back. Not old by their standards, no, but forgotten by the Paladins themselves in light of newer losses and revelations. 

_ She was cruel to my paladin. She sowed division and anger among them all. Is this who you believe should hold them together? _

Blue scoffed, and showed Red her own memory of the princess' apology, her appreciation for the Red Paladin's sacrifices and faith.  _ Even a Blue Paladin may be angry and hurt, _ Blue reminded her.  _ Rage is not your sole purview, sister. Or perhaps I should keep my paladin and  _ you _ may receive the princess.  _

A terrifying thought. The princess, who flew the slow, solid castle, trying to manage Red's speed and agility? She would get herself killed within moments, and Red could not even protect her, because it would require denying her own nature. 

_ Ah, so you do care.  _ Red growled in the face of Blue's smugness.  _ If even you can worry for her in the face of anger, then there is no denying her the place of Blue Paladin. _

But she could still deny her own boy the place of Black Paladin. 

_ No you can't. _

_ Yes I can! _

_ No you can't. _

_ Yes I can! _

_ He won't let you.  _

Red's growl abruptly turned into a whimper as the truth of Blue's simple words sank into her circuits. Duty was strong with her paladin, and willingness to do what must be done, even as it hurt him and hurt her, grievously. He would accept Black's seat, and surrender Red to his new right hand. And she would have no choice. Once again, she would lose her paladin to a disaster left behind by a Black Paladin, and there was nothing she could do. 

On the outside, the Red Paladin stepped into the Black Lion's cockpit.


	3. call me over and tell me how

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I, Destiny, wrote this in one of my many mad fits of salt that occurred over the past week. The contents are also somewhat predicated on the mid-season theory Space and I came up with that Keith had actually peaced out on both Voltron and the Blade of Marmora and went out on his own. This fic is pure essence of salt and love for Matt Holt, the only two emotions left to me.
> 
> Also, HAPPY BIRTHDAY KEITHER!!!!!!

The two Holts sat together in the Green Lion, while Pidge told her brother all about her time while he was gone, at the Garrison and now with Voltron. 

"And then there was Keith-" Pidge continues.

"Hold on," Matt interrupts. "Keith  _ Kogane?" _

"Yeah." Pidge looks back at him, surprised. "You know him?"

"I went to the Garrison," he reminds her skeptically. "I was best friends with Shiro. How could I  _ not _ have known Keith?"

Pidge shrugs. "Keith and Shiro don't talk about the Garrison much. Especially not Keith. Lance always likes to bring up how he dropped out."

"He  _ what?" _ Matt says, shocked and well aware he sounds like a scandalized old lady. 

"Got kicked out," she amends. "I think that's what happened. After the Kerberos mission was lost."

Matt snorts. "Kind of the reverse of you, then."

"Yeah, I guess." Pidge had never thought of it like that, clearly. "He left, anyway."

"What, the Garrison?"

"No, Voltron." Matt makes a choking sound and she ignores it. "He went on some crazy deep cover mission with the Blade of Marmora after we didn't need him to pilot Black anymore."

"Deep cover?" he says incredulously. "I mean, yeah, okay, that does sound like Keith. But you guys just  _ let _ him go?  _ Shiro _ just let him go?"

"Uh, yeah?"

The anger and disbelief that fills him is accompanied by another strange brushing upon his mind, which he somehow is able to recognize as the Green Lion. 

"Hey, I think Green likes you!" Pidge says happily, confirming his theory. "Anyway, I can't wait for you to meet everyone!"

Matt feels...mostly the same. But any reservations he has are soon proved unnecessary, because when they touch down in front of the fabled Castle of Lions later, only one guy with a flaming orange moustache is waiting for them. 

"Hey Coran," Pidge greets him. "This is my brother Matt!"

"Splendid to meet you, Matthew!" Moustache Guy declares, pumping Matt's hand enthusiastically. Matt does his best to match him, and fails. "Coran Hieronymous Wimbleton Smythe, advisor to the Princess Allura!" 

"Where is everybody?" Pidge asks. 

Coran's welcoming beam fades immediately, and he strokes that voluminous moustache. "Ah, I'm afraid we've run into a spot of bother while you were gone. Nothing to worry about, I'm sure we'll have it squared away in no time! Follow me."

Matt trails after them towards what is apparently the Red Lion's hangar. The other four Paladins and- okay, well, apparently Princess Allura is counted among those four now- are clustered together in front of an enormous particle barrier housing the Red Lion itself. 

"Uh oh," says Pidge. 

A kid in an olive green jacket- it must be Lance, Red's current pilot- is standing ahead of the rest. He's pleading with the Lion. 

"C'mon, Red, ol buddy ol pal, we've bonded, haven't we?"

The Lion remains aloof, as evidenced by the way Lance droops. 

"What happened?" Pidge asks.

Everyone turns around, and does a double take. 

"Guys," Pidge says proudly, "this is my brother, Matt."

He's rapidly introduced to his sister's friends from the Garrison, Princess Allura-  _ wowza!- _ and finally Shiro approaches him. 

"Good to see you again, Matt," he says, and smiles like a robot. 

"Hey," Matt says cautiously. They don't hug. What the fuck. 

"What's happening?" Pidge repeats, saving her brother from the awkwardness. 

"Red won't open up," Lance says miserably. "To me or anyone else."

"For how long?" Pidge asks, looking up at the enormous magic robot. 

"Ever since you left," Hunk says. 

Pidge looks at him sharply. "So ever since  _ Keith _ left." She'd gone on her solo mission not long after Keith left on his own much longer one. 

"...Oh." Hunk's face falls. "Yeah."

"Oh, come on!" Lance exclaims. "I'm Red's pilot now, you can't tell me she's still that attached to  _ Keith!" _

Matt feels a flare of annoyance. This kid is already rubbing him the wrong way. "Keith was her first choice, though, wasn't he? Does the Blue Lion love Allura as much as she loved you?"

Lance looks at him somewhat askance before scowling. "You're new," he says dismissively. "You don't know what you're talking about."

"Hey!" Pidge jumps in hotly. "I already told him the whole story on the way here, he knows enough!"

"Alright, alright," Shiro interrupts. "Let's stay focused on the matter at hand. Red won't respond to anyone, and we have to change that. Lance, you just have to convince her to open up to you again- Voltron needs her. It worked with Black."

"Yeah, but Shiro..." Hunk says uncertainly. "You were still Black's paladin first. Well, before Keith was," he amends hastily. They all remember how attached Black had been to her actual first paladin- Pidge had told Matt  _ all _ about that. 

"It doesn't matter," Shiro says firmly. "Voltron needs Red to be active."

_ She would be if you hadn't apparently lost your mind and let Keith go,  _ Matt thinks and wishes he could say. But he  _ is _ new, and he can also tell that this changed Shiro would not appreciate his input. 

But somebody else does. Matt feels another tingle in his mind, hotter and more distinct than Green, and jerks his head towards the Red Lion. 

**_You,_** she says in a voice that is not a voice and is speaking to his soul instead of his ears or even his brain. **_You still care for the Red Paladin._**

_ The  _ real _ one, yeah,  _ Matt thinks back at her as best he can, and receives a metaphysical purr of approval. 

**_Black's paladin is much changed,_** Red says. **_She will not tell us how, but it has hurt my boy greatly. I was not allowed to reach him, and he left._** **You** ** _will help me get him back._**

"Holy shit," Matt says out loud.  _ I can't be your paladin! _

Red snorts, which is a really weird thing to hear in your soul. **_Indeed not,_** she agrees. **_Green would likely have taken you gladly, but not I. Still, you can help me. You want to help my paladin, unlike the rest of them._**

The rest of them, who are all staring at Matt while he stares at the Red Lion. 

**_Come to me,_** Red says. **_We have a long way to go to find him._**

Matt glances at Pidge and feels his heart tug. But she'd gotten by fine even while thinking he might be dead. She doesn't need him. And besides, Red  _ is _ the fastest lion. They'll be back, with Keith, in no time. 

"Pidge," he says. "I gotta go do something real quick."

The Red Lion's eyes begin to glow. 

"Oh, you have got to be  _ kidding _ me!" Lance yells from somewhere very distant. 

Matt has a paladin- a  _ friend-  _ to find. 


End file.
